chorizo recipes

Steamed Clams With Spanish Chorizo Recipe

Shellfish and Spanish chorizo make a surprisingly good combination, the smokiness and depth of the sausage adding a pleasing earthy dimension to the salty seafood. A 'surf and turf' combination that goes way back in time, this Spanish chorizo recipe works well with various shellfish. The traditional combination uses the large clams from Spain's north coast and serves them as a tapas dish, but you could also try this classic recipe with mussels, cockles or any other shellfish you like and serve it as a starter with some crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Prepare the clams before cooking by picking through them, discarding any that are open and scrubbing their shells clean under running water. Once cooked, discard any clams that have not opened.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g/1lb Spanish chorizo – the softer cooking variety

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1kg/2lbs clams, scrubbed

1 cup dry white whine

Quarter cup parsley roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

Depending on the firmness of the chorizo, either cut it into small cubes or crumble it into small pieces.

Choose a pot or casserole with a lid that fits firmly. Heat the oil in it over a medium heat.

Cook the chorizo until lightly browned then add garlic and bay leaves, cooking until the garlic is just coloured.

Add the prepared clams and the wine. Cover the pot and steam the mussels over a medium high heat until the clams have fully opened. Discard any clams that remain closed.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

You can dish the steamed clams into small tapas dishes or bring the whole casserole to the table and serve from there into shallow bowls. Remember to provide a large plate for everyone to pile the empty shells onto, so that they can mop up the delicious juices from their plates with some crusty bread.

Chorizo

Known for its rich red colour, equally delicious eaten in slices as tapas or used in cooking. Smoky, earthy, sweet with a gentle tang, Spanish chorizo has been a staple of Spanish cuisine for centuries.